What concerts are you looking forward to? (Part II)

[bhodges]

Yes, I completely understand what you mean: nothing taken for granted. My favorite Jurowski experiences so far were in 2003 (yikes, that far back), when he conducted Janáček's Jenůfa at the Met. Even with Karita Mattila in the lead, plus a fascinating production, at least one publication called Jurowski the "hero of the evening."

And as for Hamelin, I've not heard him give a bad recital yet. (Of course, anyone can have an off night, but still, talking of artists who don't take things for granted--he's another one.)

--Bruce

[Sid]

I'm looking forward to this free lecture/recital by pianist Leslie Howard at Sydney Conservatorium of Music on Friday:

(The following taken from SCM website)


Quote
CONtexts: The Alfred Hook Lecture Series - Leslie Howard (4.00pm)

6 May 2011

Dr Leslie Howard Discovering Liszt

Liszt is the only great composer of the nineteenth century to still suffer from detractors, this despite the acknowledged debt of almost every composer who followed him. Many distrusted his fame and wealth. Others accused him of religious posturing and of lacking compositional depth. Dr Howard shares his new insights into Liszt as a complex nineteenth-century artist.

Leslie Howard is a composer, conductor, and scholar, and the only pianist to record (for Hyperion in 97 CDs) the complete piano music of Franz Liszt. He has appeared with many of the world's finest orchestras; as a composer, his works include an opera, a ballet, and numerous orchestral, choral, and solo compositions.

Following this lecture, Leslie Howard will give a piano recital in Verbrugghen Hall at 6.00pm.

Just came back from the above lecture/recital about Liszt's music by pianist Dr Leslie Howard at Sydney Conservatorium (it was free).

Dr Howard is a pianist specialising in Liszt, who has recently finished recording the composer's entire piano output on 99 discs. He's middle aged with thick greying hair & a neutral British accent. He spoke clearly and engagingly (without notes) for an hour about Liszt's life and work, illustrating his lecture with two pieces. After a break during which the audience had a complimentary drink and some nibblies, Dr Howard treated us to a recital of more of Liszt's works. There were no programs given out, he just announced the pieces & talked about them in depth from the stage. So if the titles I wrote below are incomplete or whatever, please forgive me, because a number of them were announced in languages other than English.

I really enjoyed both the lecture and the recital. Dr Howard was like a limitless fountain of knowledge about this fascinating composer. I took notes during his lecture, and I'll probably put them on my blog by the end of next week. I would describe his playing as quite pumped but restrained at the same time - a bit like the contradictory character of Liszt. Dr Howard knew how to let things rip with a frenzy, but he also made the calmer and more lyrical moments very interesting. He played without music (except the second piece below), and he had a studious gaze, his head looking down at the keyboard during his playing.

Pieces played during lecture:

- A piece composed at age 21, later revised and incorporated into the set of pieces called Harmonies Poétiques Et Religieuses (1850's) (part of this was based on the theme from the slow movement of Beethoven's "Archduke" trio, as Dr Howard demonstrated)

- Piano version of the "Calming of the Storm at Sea" from Part 2 of the oratorio Christus (This was a very dramatic piece, the very vivid storm came first, then the calm which had harmonies not far away from Debussy or even Messiaen)

The recital:

- Grand Concert Solo (1849), composed as a test piece for the Paris Conservatoire (Dr Howard played the 1851 version) (a percursor to the Sonata in B minor, which in some ways it was similar to - Dr Howard described this work as "kind of like a sonata but not a sonata.")

- Variations for piano on a motif from Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen (from J. S. Bach's Cantata BWV 12), written in memory of Liszt's first daughter Blandine who died aged 26 while giving birth (this piece showed Liszt's mastery of counterpoint & his concept of thematic transformation)

- Sarabande and Chaconne on theme from the opera Almira by Handel (1879) (my favourite piece of the set - it was like hearing a work composed by Handel imagining that he was Liszt! A beautifully balanced and imaginative piece. The last half had these rapid rippling figures that reminded me of Debussy's watery pieces allied with a song-like lyricism that sounded similar to Schubert)

- Nocturne on a Polonaise by Chopin (Dr Howard announced this in French, this my attempt of writing the title in English!) (Liszt & Chopin admired eachother immensely - Chopin dedicated his Etudes to LIszt. Liszt's nocturne sounded less melancholic to my ears than those of Chopin, it had a kind of sweetness and lightness)

[Florestan]

Hey Sid, are you the new favorite of the gods? You seem to live in a permanent state of musical bliss, both live and recorded ... 

[Sid]

Hey Sid, are you the new favorite of the gods? You seem to live in a permanent state of musical bliss, both live and recorded ... 

Yeah, well I probably don't listen to as much music as many of the members here, but I try to get out a few times a month for concerts & try to listen to things new to me on a regular basis, which also makes things interesting. There's a lot going on here in Sydney - we're basically spoilt for choice in not only classical but all types of music. Often, I begin listening to a piece or pieces as I want to familiarise myself with what will be played in concerts. But I didn't know any of the pieces that Dr Howard played in his recital above, so it was kind of interesting...

[springrite]

Well, I WAS looking forward to a recital by Sergio Tiempo in Beijing on June 3rd. But I have a lecture tour that week and won't be able to come back. I could opt out of part of the tour but, with dad and mother-in-law both in the hospital, I need to complete the tour to pay the hospital bills.

But I do have Berlin Phil under Rattle in Beijing in November on my schedule, playing Mahler 9,

[JerryS]

I'm looking forward to the third installment of the San Antonio Symphony's Tchaikovsky Festival tonight. They're playing my favorite Tchaikovsky symphony, the 5th. I had a recording by Monteux and the Boston Symphony that I wore out. New music director Sebastian Lang-Lessing is wonderful in this music, the orchestra has never sounded better. Saturday the Festival continues with Freddy Kempf playing the 2nd concerto. His performance of the 1st concerto last Friday was a crowd pleaser, alarmingly loud and blindingly fast. A more sensitive side came through in the encore, Liszt's transcription of Wagner's Liebestod.

[bhodges]

I'm looking forward to the third installment of the San Antonio Symphony's Tchaikovsky Festival tonight. They're playing my favorite Tchaikovsky symphony, the 5th. I had a recording by Monteux and the Boston Symphony that I wore out. New music director Sebastian Lang-Lessing is wonderful in this music, the orchestra has never sounded better. Saturday the Festival continues with Freddy Kempf playing the 2nd concerto. His performance of the 1st concerto last Friday was a crowd pleaser, alarmingly loud and blindingly fast. A more sensitive side came through in the encore, Liszt's transcription of Wagner's Liebestod.

Sounds like you've had (and will have) some great evenings. And glad to hear the San Antonio Symphony is thriving. (Too many depressing reports lately of orchestras folding...)

--Bruce

[bbrip]

Mahler Symphonie No. 6 with Mariss Jansons and the Bayrische Rundfunk Orchestra at Alte Oper, Frnakfurt. Tomorrow night 

[JerryS]

Sounds like you've had (and will have) some great evenings. And glad to hear the San Antonio Symphony is thriving. (Too many depressing reports lately of orchestras folding...)

--Bruce

Yes, the San Antonio Symphony came back from bankruptcy in 2004. It is only surviving now thanks to sacrifices from the musicians and financially effective management. For 2012 - 2013 a move to a newly renovated auditorium is planned. I hope that won't be too much of a strain on the budget.

Jerry

[bhodges]

Tonight, six recent works inspired by the Brandenburg Concertos, all commissioned by Orpheus (the conductor-less chamber ensemble). I've heard the Davies and Theofanidis pieces, but none of the others.

Orpheus
Carnegie Hall

Aaron Jay Kernis: Concerto with Echoes (Inspired by Brandenburg No. 6)
Melinda Wagner: Little Moonhead (Inspired by Brandenburg No. 4)
Sir Peter Maxwell Davies: Sea Orpheus (Inspired by Brandenburg No. 5)
      Christopher Taylor, piano
Christopher Theofanidis: Muse (Inspired by Brandenburg No. 3)
Stephen Hartke: A Brandenburg Autumn (Inspired by Brandenburg No. 1)
     with world premiere fourth movement
Paul Moravec: Brandenburg Gate (Inspired by Brandenburg No. 2)

--Bruce

[nimrod]

I am on my way to the Lubbock Symphony to hear guest cellist Gary Hoffman perform Elgar's Cello Concerto.  Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra is also on the program.  Should be a great night of music in Lubbock.   

[DavidW]

Sounds like a great evening, enjoy Nimrod!

[Brian]

HELP! Did The Havergal Brian Gothic Prom concert tickets already sell out?? I'm getting ticket unavailable messages! Today's the first day tickets are on sale!   

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

HELP! Did The Havergal Brian Gothic Prom concert tickets already sell out?? I'm getting ticket unavailable messages! Today's the first day tickets are on sale!   

Alas - here is the only place and it's very expensive (you can add about 40 pounds to the prices you see there):


http://www.getmein.com/tickets/prom-4-brian-the-gothic-symphony-tickets/london-202377.html

[Brian]

Ack! Is it worth standing for ~2 hours? They're still selling standing passes on the official site.

Or we could get a GMG private box and split the cost? 

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Ack! Is it worth standing for ~2 hours? They're still selling standing passes on the official site.

Or we could get a GMG private box and split the cost? 

Buy that, if they're still available! It's worth it! You're young!

[Brian]

Buying a standing pass that gets me Proms 1 through 4 - I don't know what it's like being in the "Arena" or if I'll be sore and hateful after two hours of it, but I'll get to see the Glagolitic Mass and the Gothic from front and center...

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Buying a standing pass that gets me Proms 1 through 4 - I don't know what it's like being in the "Arena" or if I'll be sore and hateful after two hours of it, but I'll get to see the Glagolitic Mass and the Gothic from front and center...

It's better than nothing! I promise you - you will be very very glad to have been there...

[Sid]

I'll go to this at Sydney Conservatorium tomorrow night, if it's not cancelled, as sometimes these things are. I saw this pianist, who is a senior staff member at the Con, last year play Berg's Chamber Concerto but I haven't seen him play a solo program before. I haven't heard any of the items on this program, and I am not familiar at all with Graham Hair's music, so it'll be interesting no doubt: -

Cocktail Hour - Ancient to Modern (6.00pm)

9 May 2011

Faculty and their guests present a program of chamber music concerts featuring repertoire that ranges from baroque to contemporary music.

Perfomer
Daniel Herscovitch piano

Program

Chopin Sonata No. 2 in B flat Minor, op. 35
Hair Three Transcendental Etudes
Carter Two Thoughts and the Piano

[Sid]

Last night I went to the recital by pianist Daniel Herscovitch in the above post. Here's the full program -

Chopin - Sonata No. 2 in B-flat minor, Op. 35 (1839)

Stravinsky - Sonata (1924)

Graham Hair (b. 1941) - Three Transcendental Etudes on Themes from Australian Poets (from set of 12)
- Snatched Voices (Poet - Rosemary Dobson)
- Naming the Stars (Poet - Judith Wright)
- Wild Cherries and Honeycomb (Poet - John Shore Nielsen)

E. Carter (b. 1908) - Two Thoughts About the Piano (2005)
- Intermittences
- Catenaires

Encore - A. Webern - Children's Piece (1924)

I'd never heard any of these pieces before, and I hadn't heard any of the music of Graham Hair. The pianist Daniel Herscovitch (a faculty member at Sydney Conservatorium) talked in some depth about the pieces before playing them. His title for the recital "Ancient to Modern," was just a bit of fun, he said. Chopin's music can't really be described as "ancient," although maybe Eliot Carter who is now aged 102 can be!

The Chopin 2nd sonata was a great opener and my favourite piece of the evening. Daniel said that it's still a somewhat controversial work, some leading Chopin pianists refuse to play it. The 3rd movement, the famous Funeral March, was written first in 1837, the rest of the work came in 1839. Daniel outlined some interesting aspects of this work. The second & third movements have no tempo markings. There are three possible places to put repeats in the first movement, but Chopin didn't specify where. Having listened to this work, I can now somewhat understand why Schumann criticised it for lacking cohesion. But at the same time, this can be a "plus" as each of the movements are like worlds within themselves. The 1st movement was really pumped - ideas just tumbled out, one after the other. I'm pretty amazed at how Chopin could get these many ideas down on the page. The first theme of the 2nd movement (scherzo) reminded me a bit of the witche's sabbath part of Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique. It was pretty macabre and dark. This was followed by a longer lyrical and calmer section which struck me as being full of hope. Then the first theme reappeared, more intensely, but the quieter theme had the final word. The 3rd movement started with the famous funeral march theme (or intro?), but the other idea was more lyrical and poetic. The finale (4th movt) was over in a flash - it lasted only about 2-3 minutes. Liszt said this made him think of winds blowing over graves, Chopin said he meant it like mourners chatting after the funeral. To me, this sounded like a frenzied and hair-raising take on Bachian counterpoint. Despite there not being any crossing of hands in this work (unlike the other works played later), it still looked and sounded quite difficult to play.

Stravinsky's much shorter sonata (Daniel described it as more like a sonatina) came across to me to be the complete antithesis of the Chopin. This was quite light and bouncy, the world of Les Six was not far away. The counterpoint again sounded like it was influenced by Bach, the piano was played almost as daintily as a harpsichord. But the jerky & more changeable rhythmic patterns could be by no-one else but Stravinsky.

Then the only Australian composer on the program, Graham Hair. He was director of this very institution, the Sydney Con, during the 1980's, but now he is working in academia in Glasgow, Scotland. These three works come from a recent series of studies inspired by Australian poetry. The 1st and 3rd pieces reminded me of the tangled and complex piano works of Ives and Ligeti. They were pretty intense, with runs up and down the keyboard, and they looked devlishly difficult to play. The middle one was slow and calm, it had a kind of celestial quality as Daniel said, and it kind of reminded me of Takemitsu.

Then Carter's Two Thoughts About the Piano, which looked no less difficult than the Hair. They were also inspired by literature - the first one on Marcel Proust. These started off as two seperate pieces, which Carter joined together later. They were composed in 2005 when Carter was 97 years old. These pieces were studies in constantly changing dynamics, rhythm, and harmonics. The first piece was slower overall, it had many silences, and the second one was helter skelter. It was described by the composer as being like "a fast one line piece without any chords." Daniel said that he met Carter a few months ago, and thought that though he looked pretty frail, his mind is "still sharp as a tack." Carter was then writing a song-cycle on the words of T.S. Elliot.

As an encore, Daniel played a short one minute piece by Webern that looked much simpler to play than the other pieces. It was written in the same year as the Stravinsky sonata, but totally different.

I was sitting next to a group of women who, it turns out, were friends of Daniel. I got talking to one of them about American composers in particular, and I mentioned Copland. She said that she showed Copland around Sydney when he visisted (I didn't find out when, but she said it was in his older years). She said he had a liking for French cuisine, so she took him to a French restaurant in Kings Cross. This was an interesting conversation, particularly because I didn't know that Copland had ever come here. We both agreed that the turnout to this brilliant recital was pretty abysmal - the hall seats around 100 and I'd say there were less than 50 audience members in attendance. On a positive note, the women took me backstage to meet Daniel, which I did. I briefly spoke to him thanking him for his performance. I asked him whether the Graham Hair pieces were as difficult to play as something by Ligeti, but he said that Ligeti was much harder. But I told him that I was watching his hands, particularly in the Hair & Carter pieces, and what he was doing looked like it was near impossible to me.

All up, this was one of the best piano recitals I remember going to. Both the playing and the music were excellent and interesting. I look forward to seeing Daniel play at any other time that he does so in the future...